Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-04-08
Effect Of the Liquor Traffic on Wages.

Effect Of the Liquor Traffic on Wages.
Hard times" is q common cry now-a-
days, especially among mechanics and Ia
boring men.
Low wages ls q common complaint, and
"strikes," "lock- outs" etc., are the result
of this dissatisfied feeling among the work
ing men.
And yet it is d fact that the %workineman
IS the greatest consumer Of liquor and the
stanchest supporter Of the traffic and its
agents, and il We were to tell him that the
liquor traffic is largely the cause of low
wages, and the so-called depression in
business, he would probably sneer and dis
believe the statement.
According to the Government figures, We
brewed and sold in the United States last
year GAP, OOO. 600 gallons of beer. If we
assume that each glass contains half a pint
(Which they do not by a long shotD, we find
tnat we spent for beer, during q year of
hard times, the enormous sum of over five
hundred and thirteen million dollars.
For 70,763, 900 gallons of whisky we
spent $3.50, O0O, 600!
These figures do not include wines made
in the United States, nor do they include
The spirits, wines, ales, ETC., imported into
tins country. These amount annually to
over fifty millions of dollars!
Add these sums together, and we find
that we spent last year over n thousand
million dollars for intoxicating liquor.
But you will say, what has this to do
with wages' these statements only show
that men spend their money foolishiy, after
they have earned il.
One hundred dollars spent in the goods
named pays to the w%orkingman the proper
ton stated opposite:
l ~ ~" hhoes .S1O.l u
Eio WI - 1884
............ 23.77
uIul1uIe. 24.lI
But if he spends 800 for liquor, he has
only paid to the nottingham $l.23.
According to the brewers and distillers'
own figures, furnished to the census
enumerators in 1880, the total wages paid
by them for II year was only fifteen mil
lion dollars, and this included the a OF
men not directly employed in the manu-
facture of the accursed stuff.
Now. it is pretty we'll known that the
not spend q great deal for food, clothes,
furniture, carpets, boots, and Shoes.
IT this money, one thousand million dol
lars, now worse than wasted" in the pur.
chase of liquor, was directed into the chan.
nels of legitimate trade, and would be, al
it ought to be and would if the saloons
were closed, in the purchase Of good food
good clothing. furniture, carpets. etc., i
would return to the workingman not LEST
than 5000, 600, 900, instead of less thar
$4,000, 200, as it does now
Nor would this be oil: the figures give1
above do not include the wages of sales
men, etc., they simply mean the amount
paid the workingmen for the manufacture
A liquor store that sells 5000 worth O
liquor per day would not require but on
or two %bartenders; but a retail dry good
or boot and shoe store that sold tina
amount daily would require the services o
at least double the number of statesmen
that the saloon does.
I. v. Powderly, Master Workman Of tn
Knights of Labor, SAYS: "Close the rum
shops, and there will not be an idle mill o
factory in the whole country, and the rail
roads cannot handle the business"
1t is true, absolutely true. Close til
saloons; start the mills; spend the none
for food, clothing, and the comforts an
Injuries of life, and there will be no thar
times" no depression of business" BIT
sober men and happy homes.-Ceutro
Good TempIGr.